The law, passed in August 2008, mandates the active dissemination of information by the state and also requires the Chilean government to respond to information requests by Chilean citizens. According to the law, government websites should actively publish certain kinds of information, broad categories defined in the law itself. For information requests, the government must respond within 20 working days and must justify why the requested information must be withheld.
The new law establishes a Consejo para la Transparencia—a four-member watchdog council that will oversee implementation of the law and also rule on appeals. The Consejo will also serve as a court of appeals for citizens who believe that information has been unfairly or illegally withheld or are dissatisfied with the processing of an information request.
For the text of the law in Spanish, see http://freedominfo.org/news/20090421.htm.
[Source: freedominfo.com]
